Honesty
by Gunpowder Gelatine
Summary: "It's not even the good brand, Charles." "What do you think I care what brand it is? Cream filling is cream filling."


"Charles, what's this?"

The Emperor glanced languidly over at his wife, and his neutral expression rapidly soured.

"You know perfectly well what it is, woman. Go on, then. Toss it and lecture me, because that's just what I need after a day at court."

Marianne took a brief look at the cupcake in her hand, part of her aching to take a bite of it herself. But no. She had to be strong! In the garbage it went.

"Charles, I'm not doing this to stress you out. I'm doing this because I want you to live to see our grandchildren, and so does your doctor." She approached the sofa where the Emperor was resting, in his white dress shirt and trousers, his jacket and cravat slung over the back of the couch. Moving them aside, she leaned in, placing her hands on either side of the edge of the sofa, peeking down at him. "And you _know_ the only reason you're in _my_ couch at _my_ villa is because I'm the only wife of yours who isn't eagerly awaiting your death."

"My cholesterol is _fine_." Charles huffed, arms crossing as he stared out the window, unwilling to bring himself to look her in the eye.

"Your cholesterol _and_ your blood sugar levels are right on the borderline and I showed you the charts myself. You're fifty pounds overweight." She bent lower.

"That's-"

"That's _not_ muscle, stop lying to yourself. Do you think I can't tell, either?" Marianne draped herself against his back, nudging a cheek against his head. Charles maintained his gruff expression, but permitted a hand to move atop hers.

"Oh, are you saying you're not attracted to me anymore?" He turned slightly, snaking his other hand behind her, only for it be nudged aside by a swish of Marianne's hip.

"I'm saying the last time you started this you were unable to follow through, if you'll recall." She glowered down at him, seeming almost more offended than he was. "And if you keeled over while you were in bed with _me_ , you know what kind of suspicion that would cast on me and the kids. But…" She paused a moment, leaning in to let her lips graze his, only to be replaced by her upward-pointed index finger as he began to lean in as well. "You're mine, and you know it. And _I_ take good care of what's mine."

"I wasn't going to eat the whole thing, you know."

Marianne sighed, pushing her fingertip against his forehead. "How many times do we have to re-commit to the whole 'no more lies' thing, Charles? How do you expect me to believe in your cause if you can't even be honest with me about something as basic as this?"

"It's not a question of trust, it's a question of willpower…" Charles grunted, looking off to the side again. Ashamed. Vulnerable. A rare look, one that perhaps only Marianne and V.V. ever glimpsed on his face.

Marianne began to rub at the Emperor's shoulders. "I know, I know. I'm sure you believe it, right up until you've taken that first bite, and then…"

He brushed his hair back, ensuring it stayed out of the way of her working fingers. "I'm too old for this, Marianne. Dieting just isn't for me. I should just focus on my research and then questions of my mortality will become irrelevant."

"Nope. Not letting you get out of it that easy. _You promised._ " Marianne was also the only wife who held him to his word. While it had once been a thorn in his side, it had become something he'd grown to respect about her. Even if he had to sometimes beg her to change her mind…

"Please, Marianne, just one cheat day a week, you've got to be reasonable-"

"Lose thirty pounds and start going to the gym with me, then we'll talk about a cheat day." She beamed a Cheshire grin down at him, giving his elegantly curled locks a ruffle, before smoothing them with her fingers. Ever since they'd met, she'd always enjoyed playing with that hair of his. It was part of the reason he bothered keeping it long anymore…

"I _did_ go to the gym." It wasn't a lie, he told himself. Even if he had taken a few breaks… Told the trainer to lay off a few times…

"Not with me. If you think anyone else is going to actually push you, you're delusional, your _majesty_." He knew she was right.

"I can push _myself_." He knew he was wrong.

"Oh, you can? Great! Show me when we go together. We'll start with a run."

Charles groaned.

"… I hate running…" Charles murmured, a sullen, sour little scowl on his face as he let his head droop backward, staring up into Marianne's eyes.

"I know you do. But you're not gonna get in shape by doing what's easy. You're gonna get in shape by doing what's hard. That means staying away from the sweets, too." She began to scratch her fingernails through his scalp. Ugh, when she did that, it was impossible to say no to her…

"I really have been cutting back on the sugar, you know…"

"I believe you. But cutting back isn't enough. It might have been ten years ago. Now it's too late. It's a choice between a little misery now and a whole lot of it later. And you can be damn sure I won't be in the mood to sleep with you after I've been changing your bedpans." A little scowl appeared on her face, too. She spoke from experience, that much was clear.

"What makes you think I'd want you doing that?" His eyes closed. He preferred not to think of such things… The indignity of mortality, and more to the point, of one's own decaying body… Someday they'd both have to watch him die, if he didn't find the answers he sought in the World of C. He wasn't sure what he was more afraid of. Letting Marianne see him like that, or letting his brother…

"What makes you think that matters to me? 'In sickness or in health', remember? I made a vow, and I didn't just mean it on the altar." She bent down to kiss him. He didn't return it.

"If I recall, you made that vow to someone else, once…"

Marianne couldn't help but snort, giving him a brief punch on the shoulder.

"And you've made that vow to hundreds. We both know we only meant it when we made it to each other."

"You seem awfully sure of yourself, _Lamperouge_. The moment I'm gone, they'll tear you to pieces at court, you know that, don't you?" Charles huffed.

"Oh, I'm sure they'll try. I've already made arrangements for Lelouch and Nunnally's safety in that event, though. They'll go to the Ashfords, and I'll stay here, ready to take on all comers. V.V. said he'd be in my corner if it ever came to that, too. And if worst comes to worst… you know what I can do with _this_." She flashed the gleaming sigil of her Geass, and Charles rolled his eyes.

"You can't just trust that to solve everything for you, Marianne. These powers have their limits, thinking it makes you invincible is going to end badly for you."

"Do you think I'm not well aware of the limits of my own power, Charles?"

"I'm just saying, I've had mine a lot longer than you've had yours. You need to be aware of the _history_ -"

"And my partner has been alive a lot longer than yours has, you forget, Charles. She has been over the _history_ with me plenty. Compared to her, V.V.'s a spring chicken, really-"

"Yes, this partner of yours, when are you going to bring her to the Institute, anyway? You keep saying that-"

"I keep saying I'll bring her when she agrees to it. She's not ready yet, and if we try to force her, well, neither of us knows the extent of her true ability. She's the real deal, after all." Marianne leaned over Charles a bit more, her gaze meeting his, inverted.

"Our research with V.V. alone just doesn't seem to be going anywhere, if you could just-"

"If it were that easy, Charles, she'd already have agreed. In the meantime, we've got to keep up our act, and you've got to keep up your commitments - to Britannia, and to me. And of the two, I believe you know which vow is more precious." She gave him another kiss. He returned it, this time.

"They're hardly comparable…" Charles let his fingers trail through her dangling ebony hair, giving her a rare, genuine smile. "I care nothing for this Britannia. You're the world to me, Marianne."

"Then show me."

"I will."


End file.
